Orange County, California Wine Tasting Events Calendar Special Winemaker Dinners Anaheim Gayot

March 19
Don and Felicity Sodaro of Sodaro Estate Winery hold their first "pre-release" wine dinner at Antonello Ristorante. The evening starts at 6:30 p.m. Some of the dishes and pairings from the four courses will include thin slices of cured beef topped with Burrata cheese and paired with a 2005 Sodaro Estate Felicity Cabernet Sauvignon) and beef ragu lasagna paired with the preview 2006 Sodaro Estate Felicity. The cost is $109 per person (inclusive of tax and tip). Antonello Ristorante, South Coast Plaza Village, 3800 South Plaza Drive, Santa Ana, CA 92704, 714-751-7153.

Through March 31
Patina Restaurant Group is unveiling a collection of "Bordeaux Special Reserve" wines available at select Southern California locations. Bordeaux lovers can experience a selection of boutique and cult Bordeaux wines from the restaurant group's private reserve cellar. Wines from the region's celebrated 2000, 2003 and 2005 vintages will be available to diners at special prices of $79 to $495 a bottle (through March 31, or while inventory lasts). Participating Orange County Patina restaurants include: Catal Restaurant & Uva Bar and Pinot Provence. For more information, visit www.patinagroup.com.

Through July 25
Montage Laguna Beach offers The Artistry of Wine education series on Sundays at The Loft Bistro. These weekly wine tastings and seminars are held from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. and cost $35 per person. Topics include "Green" Wines (Jan. 24), sparkling wines (Jan. 31), Spanish Reds - New Wines from Old Vines (Feb. 21), White Burgundy - North to South (Feb. 28), Red Burgundy - North to South (Mar. 7), "What's in a Name? Blends, Part 1" (Mar. 14), Zinfandel (Mar. 21), "Rhône and the Rhône Rangers - Blends, Part 2" (Mar. 28), "I Drank What? - Blends, Part 3" (Apr. 11), Wines of Alsace (Apr. 18), New Zealand wines (Apr. 25), Women in Wine (May 2), "Hidden Treasures of the United States" (May 16), Artisan Saké (May 23), "Drink Pink!" (June 6), Chardonnay (June 13), Riesling (June 27), French Showcase (July 11), New World Cabernet Sauvignon (July 18) and Wines from South Africa (July 25). Space is limited. For reservations, call 949-715-6420. The Loft Bistro, Montage Laguna Beach, 30801 Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651, 949-715-6000.

Ongoing
The Costa Mesa Trader Joe's location on 17^th Street is the first TJ's store in the nation to offer a free wine tasting bar. Tasting hours are from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and noon-6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Two wines are featured each week. Trader Joe's, 640 W. 17th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, 949-642-5134.

Ongoing
Bacchus’ Secret Cellar in Irvine’s Quail Hill Center holds themed tasting events almost every day of the week, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. For information on upcoming tastings, visit www.bacchussecretcellar.com. Bacchus' Secret Cellar, 6735 Quail Hill Pkwy., Irvine, CA 92603, 949-502-4600.

Mondays
Five Crowns offers a specially-priced wine list on Monday evenings. Discounts of 20-40 percent are given to bottles that arrived with a missing or damaged label, or selections that have been recently dropped from the main wine list. Five Crowns, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, CA 92625, 949-760-0331.

Tuesdays
Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza hosts Tuesday Night Flights, offering a wine flight and specially paired appetizer. Flights are priced from $15-$30 and the appetizer costs $14. The week's featured wines will be available at a discounted price in the Next Vintage wine shop. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza, Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 714-352-2525.

Wednesdays
Every Wednesday evening from 6 p.m.-10 p.m., sip your choice from Palm Terrace's wine list at half the usual price for each bottle while dining on executive chef Bill Bracken's American cuisine. Palm Terrace, The Island Hotel Newport Beach, 690 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660, 949-760-4920.

Wednesdays
Calling all wine aficionados! Café Tu Tu Tango has an event just for you. Every Wednesday, every bottle of wine on the award-winning list is half-price. It's a great way to sample wines of the world. If you can grab a table on the patio, consider yourself lucky...and hang onto it all night. Café Tu Tu Tango, The Block at Orange, 20 City Blvd., Orange, CA 92868, 714-769-2222.

Orange County, CA Wine Tastings & Events